The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1887-03-24
Sckoppenhaur's Snake.

CouversinS with your correspondent
to-day, says Columbus. S. c.. corre-
spondent of the Atlanta Constitution.
MIR. D;edrich Schoppenhaur, worthy
German farmer of Lexington county,
spun the subjoined grotesque snake
yarnlet, which is rendered in more
luminous English than the narrator en-
ployed. albeit the quaintness of speech
is hereby lost.
You remember the musical snake
told YOU about last year? Well, 1 have
a still more remarkable account to give
you OF another reptile found q few
days ago. am passionately fond of
music and painting. and devote much
of my spare time to the cultivation of
these arts. am no mean performer on
the cello, and few artists in South Caro-
lima can WELD brush more deity than
l can. l am fond of painting land
scapcs, and do most Of my work out in
the open air. 4 few afternoons ago l
repaired to my fsvorite hsunt-a most
picturesque rctreat-a few miles from
my home. carrying ny paints, brushes,
palette, easel, and other paraphernalia.
also NY canvas upon which a sublime
landscape view was outlined. had
devoted many days to this picture, and
it is my intention TO make it my chef
d'euvrc.
Il worked long and earnestly, cx-
hausting my ingenuity and skill in de-
picting upon canvas the brilliant hucs
" - ..,t sovue. / Was anxious TO paint
true to nature the gorgeous -uusr:-iv
make faithful miniature of the exquis-
lite picture hung in the western heavens.
l had worked diligently for, perhaps.
an hour, when, tired and drowSy,
abandoned my task and lolled lazily
upon the greensward. 1t was not long
before l fell asleep. How long con-
tinued in somnolent state know not
When awoke heard rustling of the
bushes to my left and discerned an
enormous serpent majcstically drawing
himself through the underbrush. He
turned to looh at me and halted. A
glance was sufficient to enable me to
discover that the intruder was no other
than the musical snake. The rccogni-
ton was mutual. perceived instantly
that the snakeship had been dabbling
his ponderous tail in my paints which
had been mixed ON my palette. had
40 time to pursue the investigation, for
the reptile glided off rapidly, and l was
both mad and surprised. l was still
madder when. going to my easel,
found it overturned and my canvas "
ing upon the ground. could instantly
zee that my beautiful picture was daub-
ed all over with paint. hastily placed
it in position upon the easel. Amaze
nent ALL What did l see? Why, 4
picture the exact counterpart Of nature &
handiwork which had been laboring
go hard to initiate. there saw the gor.
geous sunset reproduced with Turneriar
brilliancy and fidelity. Every line ano
hue was perfect. The lines blended
with exquisite taste. could scarcely
believe my eyes. but here was the pict.
ure before me. The snake had ap
preached my retreat, and finding ms
asleep conceived the idea of finishing
fhe picture himself. Using his tail as :
brush, he used it with all the skill ano
taste of master artist. All who have
seen the painting declared it TO be ths
greatest work they have ever behe!d
Bu. few of the spectator; can be made
/ 10 believe my narrative, which Is rs tTut
as gospel. There is no mistake abou
il i can swear to the exact facts l have
stated."
Mr.. Schoppenhaur's tale does seem s
trifie improbable, but fer be it from any
one to doubt 1t.